Fertility acupuncture: can acupuncture really help you get pregnant?

Can Acupuncture Really Help You Get Pregnant?

When We Try to conceive, whether “naturally” or in the middle of assisted reproduction, we quickly find ourselves at the border between science, emotions and hope. Acupuncture often comes up in conversation at this time: “Can it help me get pregnant?” The answer is neither a big magic yes, nor a definite no. Acupuncture Does Not Create a Pregnancy by Itself, but it can act on several important fertility drivers: stress, sleep, blood circulation, hormonal balance, daily quality of life. And above all, it must be practiced in a safe environment and therefore by a health professional trained in fertility.

What neuroscience says: Andrew Huberman's take on acupuncture in fertility

In her episodes devoted to fertility and hormonal health, neuroscientist Andrew Huberman Explains that acupuncture is now one of the tools available to support fertility, for both women and men, with “fairly solid” scientific data to support it.

Acupuncture is no longer considered to be “mechanismless.”

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For a long time, the argument against acupuncture was: “we don't know how it works, so it's not serious.” Huberman recalls that this criticism no longer really holds true: teams like that of Dr. Qiufu Ma at Harvard have highlighted Precise biological mechanisms, showing how the stimulation of certain points activates nerve circuits that then modify pain, inflammation and certain hormonal responses.

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Indeed, according to these studies and the words of the neuroscientist, acupuncture acts first of all via the Nervous system :

1. The needles stimulate sensory nerves,
2. These signals go all the way to the brain,
3. The brain then adjusts the balance between stress (sympathetic system) and relaxation/recovery (parasympathetic), as well as the release of certain hormones and neuromediators.

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This is what allows him to say that acupuncture is a Science-based tool To modulate pain, inflammation, and hormonal balance, rather than a purely “energetic” or esoteric practice.

Why it's relevant for fertility

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Huberman insists on the fact that fertility depends on many parameters: the quality of oocytes and sperm, blood flow to the ovaries and testicles, the balance of hormones such as FSH, LH, progesterone, but also Chronic Stress Level and Sleep Quality.
Anytime, In his episode dedicated to the subject of acupuncture fertility, he recalls that in the context of fertility, acupuncture can really have effects for:

• Balancing certain hormones and regulate FSH or other markers involved in the menstrual cycle;‍
• Improving Blood Flow to the ovaries, uterus, and testicles, which may support oocyte quality and testicular function;‍
• Reducing stress and anxiety, in particular by lowering cortisol and by promoting nervous states that are more compatible with reproduction.

Does Acupuncture Help You Get Pregnant?

Acupuncture does not replace medical checkup, assisted reproduction treatment, or gynecologist advice. But she can Supporting the Body and the Nervous System while we're doing all this.

What can you reasonably expect when trying to get pregnant naturally, Is that it can help to soothe the nervous system, to find more restful sleep, and to reduce the feeling of “permanent tension.” Some people also notice a better regularity in their cycle or an improvement in their comfort before the period.

As part of MAP or IVF, acupuncture is often used to accompany ovarian stimulation, better cope with side effects, prepare the body before a puncture or a transfer, and experience the emotional rollercoaster between attempts.

For example, I think of a friend who had been trying to have a baby for seven months. (she was not on the PMA course). She did several acupuncture sessions and soon became pregnant. So even though we can't know if it came from there, according to her testimony, she said that it deeply affected him. Relaxed. She slept better, felt less tied up, less in control. And sometimes, just that, this relaxation, changes the way you go through waiting for pregnancy and can leave the body a little bit more room.

Acupuncture at the service of fertility: rebalancing and supporting differently

In a fertility journey, we often try to make sense, to re-establish a link with our body, to support what we do not always control. Acupuncture can then become a valuable ally. Acupuncture can be used at various points in the process: upstream, to support the regularity of the cycle or the quality of cervical mucus; during a medical protocol (MAP, IVF...), to improve ovarian response, implantation support, or limit the side effects of hormonal treatments; or even postpartum or after a difficult journey, to help the body regulate itself again.

Derived from traditional Chinese medicine, it is based on a reading of internal imbalances (energy, circulation, organs) and proposes to reactivate where they have been blocked or blocked. Seen with modern glasses, it can be said that it helps:

• relieving stress and hypervigilance;
• improving circulation to the reproductive organs;
• promote a more stable hormonal balance via the nervous system;
• Support sleep, mood, and energy on a daily basis.

It is regularly used for Boosting the oocyte field Before ART or in the natural conception phase, by working on several cycles rather than only on the time of IVF (for women in the process)

Each session is also a time to pause: you lie down, you breathe, someone takes care of you. In a path where everything is timed, medicalized, measured, this “out of protocol” moment counts a lot.

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How many acupuncture sessions for fertility?

There is no magic number, but a few guidelines.

In preparation for a pregnancy or assisted reproduction, many practitioners offer One Session Every One to Two Weeks for Two to Three Cycles, to work on the ground (stress, sleep, circulation, cycle) and see how your body responds.

Around IVF, a few sessions are often added at key moments: before the stimulation, then just before the puncture and around the transfer.

Then, some people switch to an interview pace ofOne session per month, especially in periods of high emotional load (waiting for results, after a failure, etc.).

The idea is not to check off a quota of sessions, but to build a plan with your midwife or acupuncture doctor that fits your history, your age, your ovarian reserve and your medical protocol.

A supervised approach, practiced by health professionals

In the context of fertility, acupuncture is often performed by Trained Midwives, but also by some General Practitioners gold gynecologists who have received additional training in medical acupuncture.

He is Strongly discouraged to consult an acupuncturist who is not from a regulated medical profession, especially when it comes to a journey related to conception or hormonal health. Fertility is a sensitive subject, which requires a thorough knowledge of the body, its functioning, and possible medical issues in parallel.

And obviously, acupuncture is not everything: taking care of your diet to Adopt a pro-fertility diet, gold Naturally improve oocyte quality These are also very important points

Why is it important to see a trained midwife or doctor?

When it comes to fertility, acupuncture should not be completely disconnected from the rest of your care. That's why it's really important to consult:

• Of Midwives Trained in Acupuncture
• Of Physicians (general practitioners, gynecologists...) with recognized training in medical acupuncture.

These professionals know the physiology of the cycle, assisted reproduction treatments, assisted reproduction treatments, and when certain points should be avoided (early pregnancy, recent miscarriage, etc.). They can adjust the sessions to your protocol, and above all, they are also there for the Emotional Support.

In Big Cities Like, the easiest way is often to search specifically for Midwives Specialized in Fertility and Trained in Acupuncture : they are often the ones who are used to work with assisted reproduction centers, gynecologists, psychologists.

A global, gentle and complementary approach

Each acupuncture session is a time to pause. A time when we come to listen to what the body expresses differently. In addition to medical follow-up, it offers another way to Supporting the Living, to prepare the ground, to support what is not always visible but which matters enormously: energy, rhythm, trust.

In a path where a lot of things escape, Acupuncture offers concrete and benevolent support. A way to put movement back where everything seems frozen. And, sometimes, to give the body back the ability to go where it needs to go.